Card cabinet



g- 6, 1935- w. BUCKERIDGE 2,010,748

CARD CABINET Filed March 19. 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l 0/000 ooooooo Wale) BZC/QZZW, am 6% Aug. 6, 1935. w; BUCKERIDGE 2,010,748

CARD CABINET Filed March 19. 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 I Wi 5.

1& a in? Aug-- 6, 1935' w. BUCKERIDGE 2,010,748

CARD CABINET Filed March 19. 1934 3 Sheets-5heet 3 Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES CARD CABINET Walter Buckeridge, Perth. Western Australia, Australia Application March 19, 1934, Serial No. 716,392

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements "in card cabinets.

The improvements particularly concern card cabinets in which means are provided for disclosing the position of any required cardby operating a keyboard -containing certain identifying symbols associated with thecard.

An important feature of the invention resides in the association of the plurality of thin separating members, between which the cards are placed and in the means wherebyft he thin sep- 'arati-ng members are moved up and down so as to frictionally engage the cards although not displacing the latter unless they have been'other- 1'5 wise unlocked.

Associated with theforegoing are means for unlocking the cardssuch unlocking meansbeing associated with a keyboard. Means are also provided for the purpose of partially ejecting a selected card and for resetting the'loc'king means after a card has been replaced.

'The foregoing and other features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To enable the invention to be readily understood, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, inwhich--- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the card cabinet in which, however, most of the details of construction have been omitted from the left-hand half.

Fig. 2 is a plan, sectional on the line A-A of Fig. 1. In this View also, details of construction on the left-hand side have been omitted.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one side of the cabinet.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the other side of the cabinet. In this latter View the lower right hand portion has beencu't away to avoid duplication as similar features are included in the view shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation in which the front locking gate has been opened and, consequently, shows the card partly ejected.

Fig. 6 is a part plan view showing details of construction associated withthe side shown in Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the resetting mechanism 'in operation. i

Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation on the line ZBB of Fig.2 when the locking gate isopen.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation showing two :adjacent sheet metal card separating members "and a card between them.

Fig. "10 is a sectional :side elevation similar to Fig. 8 except that itfillustrates the position when the cabinetis closed. In this View the keyboard and locking gate have been omitted for clearness.

Fig. 11 is apart elevation "showing the guide "5 rod and a view of some-of the locking bars.

Fig. 12 is a part plan showing a view of some of the "keys, associated drag links, locking bars and operating means therefor.

Fig. 13 is a plan showing a drag link, shrouded 10 crank member and vertical spindle operated thereby.

Fig. 14 is a similar view except that the drag link has come into operation, and

Fig. 15 is a plan of the -view shown in Fig. 14. Referring specifically to the drawings, there is a baseil), supporting main side frame members 21 and '22. There are also intermediate frame members 23 and '24 spaced relatively close together as shown in thedrawings. There are further intermediate members 25, 2 6, 2'! and 28 that form the cabinet into aiplurality of compartments.

As illustrated in the drawings, there are six compartments although i-nFig. 1 there are only two compartments that are shown containing the sheet metal card separating members. There are also distance members :29 and :3!) supporting the lower porltions of the intermediate .drame members and connected to the main side frame rmembers and central itntemnediate members, :and nfurso ther, there :is :a top frame member "3! which has a longitudinal (opening for most of its length, for a purpose that will subsequently be apparent. Bearing in the frame members 21, 22; 23 and 24 is what rmay' be termed an elevating shaft 32. 35 At :each 'end, immediately outside the framemembers 21 and .22, this shaft is provided wit-ha cam, one of which is referenced 33 and shown in dotted lines in Figs.I3 and 5. These cams operate :a massiveaelevat-ing link it on each side. Eachof these 40 elevating linksis pivoted at 35 'to an elevating member 36.. The elevating members 36 act !as bearings "for longitudinally disposed shafts 31, '38 and 39, the said shafts being-also connected .together by'an intermediate member 410 places! butween the central frame members :23 and124. At eachienditheshaits 38and 3.9 arerconnected with a link '41 that'serves as aguide dorathe elevating link. The :end o'f the :elevatingishaftZZ is connected to a crank-42 in turn connected to an op. erating .handle #3. There are :a plurality -of thin sheet metal card-separating members 44 placed in QELCIIFOf theacompartments oft-he cabinet. Each of s'these. card-separating members is perforated soith'at theithree shafts 31, 38 andfifiipass through them. In consequence, the card-separating members M move with the shafts. Between these sheet metal separating members will be washers 45. Each card used is placed between a pair of the thin sheet metal members, the cards being referenced 36.

Associated with the card-separating members are space indicators il. These comprise small link members, there being one between each pair of separating members and the said indicators being slotted and capable of turning on a pin d8 that passes through the lower front portion of the sheet metal members M in each section of the cabinet. In the front of the cabinet there is a keyboard, the keys indicating appropriate symbols, letters or numerals as circumstances require. A key, referenced 59, is attached to a bell crank lever fill, in turn pivoted to a drag.

link 5!. The drag link is at the other end pivoted to a shrouded crank 52 that gives a partial turn to a vertical spindle or rod 53 through a pin 54 attached thereto. By reason of the construction shown, after the spindle 53 has been given a partial turn to the extent indicated in Fig. 14, the shrouded crank 52 can move back to the position shown in Fig. 13 without dragging the spindle 53 with it, the said spindle being independently reset as will be subsequently explained. Also connected to each vertical spindle 53 will be a crank 55 pivoted to a drag link 55 that is connected to an unlocking bar ii'l. For each key, therefore, there is a bell crank lever such as 50, a drag link such as M, a crank 52, a lug 52, a vertical rod 53, a crank 55, drag link 55 and unlocking bar 5?. Each of the unlocking bars 57 is at the ends provided with offset slots 58 that control the position of the locking bar as each slot works around a vertical guide rod 59. The effect of depressing a key is to pull the drag link 5!, turn the crank 52 through it moving lug 52' which abuts and moves pin 54, thereby turning the vertical rod 53, this will turn the crank 55 and exert a pull on the drag link 55 that is communicated to the locking bar 51. This locking bar 571 on being pulled has its movement controlled by the slots 58 and guide rods 59 that cause the locking rod to be moved backwards, as is shown with the upper locking rod in Fig. 12.

At the front of the cabinet there is a locking gate comprising vertical hinged gate members 69 and 6! and horizontal gate members 62 and t3. At each side is pivoted a cam-faced latch 64 fashioned and adapted to lock on pins connected to the side frame of the cabinet. Pivoted to the side gate member 6! is a slotted link 66 having a holding notch. This slotted link works on a guide pin 61 and it has pivoted thereto an intermediate link 68 that is in turn pivoted to the end of an operating lever 69. The said operating lever is connected to a rocking arm ill, the shaft of which passes longitudinally through the cabinet, there being a corresponding rocking arm on the other side of the machine. Each rocking arm W is provided with a slot by means of which it engages a pin H connected to an ejecting bar 72. On each side of the cabinet is a resiliently controlled rod 13 provided with a pin M that will permit full forward movement of the said rod so long as the pin is in line with upper or lower notches 15 in the lifting member 36. Each of the rods 13 is engaged by a spring '55 that tends'to pull it forward, an action that is prohibited so long as the front locking gate is closed. On one side, being the side illustrated in Fig. 4, there is a press sure arm 11 connected to the rod 13 and such pressure arm is adapted to engage a notched arm or member 18 fixed to rod 79 that is inclined to the cabinet as viewed in plan. When the rod i3 is moved from the front to the back the pressure arm 'i'l engages and presses the notched arm 78 until the notch is reached, when the pressure arm slips through the notch and behind the arm '83. When the rod 13 is again allowed to move forward the pressure arm resets itself so as to engage the front of the notched arm 18.

On the same side of the cabinet there are vertical rods 79 and 8B, the former being connected to the notched arm 18 while the latter is pivoted at the top and the bottom. Connecting these rods together are horizontal rods 8!. There is a spring 82 connected to the vertical rod 863 which tends to keep it and its-associated parts in the position shown in Fig. 6.

The method of operating the cabinet is as follows:

The cards used are each provided with a number of projections or serrations corresponding to the particular identifying characteristics of the card in question; thus if names are employed all such parts of the card corresponding to letters not part of the name are cut away so that there remains a number of projecting lugs corresponding to the particular letters making up the name.

A card is pushed into the cabinet in an upward position as shown in Fig. 10 between any two of the thin sheet metal separating members 1 3 where a vacant space is indicated by the forward position of an indicator l'l. After the card has been pushed into position the corresponding indicator M is pushed to the upright position showing that the space between the particular sheet metal separating members is occupied. The front locking gate is then moved down from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The effect of doing this is that the ejecting bar 72 is retracted and any locking bars Eli that may be in the unlocked position are reset to the locked position by reason of the pressure exerted by the bar 79 against their ends. The operating handle 43 is then turned to take up the position shown in Fig. 2 and this has the effect of raising the separating sheet metal members M although the position of the cards in the cabinet is not affected, being merely frictionally en gaged by the said separating members.

When it is desired to remove a card, the keys containing the symbols characteristic of the card are depressed. This has the effect of retracting the corresponding locking bar members 53' so that the particular card is now free to move downwardly. The handle is now turned and this has the effect of lowering all of the thin sheet metal separating members M. The effect of doing this is to frictionally en age all of the cards that are locked but not to move them although the card that has been rele sed is moved down to a lower position. In such lower position the bottom edge comes into or below alignment with. the ejecting bar 72. In consequence, when the front locking gate is released and moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the lever 69 is turned and this has the effect of pushing the ejecting member forward. In doing this it pushes the card 25 forward to the position shown in Fig. 8. The card, in being pushed forward, pushes the indicator 4'! to a forward position. The required card is then removed. When it is replaced the corresponding indicator 4? is pushed back and the locking gate moved until it takes the position shown in Fig. 3. In doing this the ejecting member 12 is retracted and the locking bars 51, which were retracted when certain characteristic keys were operated, are pushed so that they take up a normal locking position. The operating handle is then turned back to the position shown in Fig. 2 and this raises all of the thin sheet metal separating members 44 to the level shown in Fig. 10. It will be obvious that when the relevant locking bars 51 are retracted, thereby unlocking the serrations on the card, that the card is capable of moving downwards to an extent approximately equal to the distance between adjacent locking bars and this actually is about the extent of downward movement of the thin sheet metal separating bars 44.

I claim:

1. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising a plurality of thin separating members, cards adapted to be frictionally retained between said separating members, means for individually locking at times said cards, and means for moving said separating members as a whole whereby any card not locked will also be moved.

2. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising a plurality of thin separating members, cards adapte to be frictionally retained between said separating members, means for individually looking at times said cards, means for moving said separating members as a whole whereby any card not locked will also be moved, and means for partially ejecting any unlocked card after it has been moved,

3. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising a plurality of thin separating members, cards adapted to be frictionally retained between said separating members, means for individually looking at times said cards, means for moving the separating members as a whole whereby any card not locked will also be moved, keyboard controlled means for actuating said card locking means and for releasing the cards from said locking means and an ejecting bar that pushes a released and moved card forward.

4-. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising the combination of a plurality of thin separating members, cards placed between said members and supported thereby, shafts passing through the said members thereby connecting them, means for raising and lowering the separating members and the shafts in unison, a plurality of locking bars adapted at times to engage serrations in the cards placed in the cabinet for locking the cards so engaged against movement with said separating means, a keyboard having a plurality of keys, each key controlling the release of one looking bar, an ejecting bar that moves forward and partially ejects an unlocked and moved card and means for operating the said ejecting bar.

5. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising the combination of a plurality of thin separating members, cards placed and frictionally supported between said members, shafts passing through cabinet.

6. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising the combination of a plurality of thin separating members, cards placed between said members, said cards being in frictional engagement with said members, shafts passing through the said members thereby connecting them, means for raising and lowering the separating members and the shafts in unison, a plurality of locking bars engaging serrations in the cards placed in the cabinet, a keyboard having a plurality of keys, each key controlling the release of one looking bar, an ejecting bar that moves forward and partially ejects an unlocked and moved card, a lever controlling the operation of the ejecting bar, means for resetting the locking bars after a released card has been replaced in the cabinet, a locking gate at the front of the cabinet and means connected to the locking gate for moving the lever that controls the operation of the ejecting bar.

7. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising a plurality of thin separating members, cards adapted to be frictionally retained between said separating members, means for individually looking at times said cards, means for moving the separating members as a whole whereby any card not locked will also be moved, keyboard control means for actuating, said card locking means and for releasing the cards from said locking means, an ejecting bar that pushes a released and moved card forward and a plurality of indicators in the form of links one placed between each pair of separating members.

8. Improvements in a card cabinet comprising a plurality of thin separating members, cards adapted to be frictionally retained between said separating members, means for individually locking at times said cards, means for moving the separating members as a whole whereby any card not locked will also be moved, keyboard control means for actuating said card locking means and for releasing the cards from said locking means, an ejecting bar that pushes a released and moved card forward, a plurality of indicators in the form of links, one placed between each pair of separating members, a resetting bar that presses against bars that have been unlocked, a notched arm connected to the resetting bar, a pressure arm engaging the notched arm, a locking gate, and a rod operated by said locking gate and connected to the pressure arm. 

